


Unraveling

by Queensbandit



Category: The Rigel Black Chronicles - Fandom
Genre: Fanfiction of a Fanfiction, Inspired by The Rigel Black Chronicles, Parent POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:41:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28497747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Queensbandit/pseuds/Queensbandit
Summary: He couldn't go anywhere without being confronted with the evidence of his son's dangerous choice. It was also becoming increasingly clear he didn't really know his son anymore.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 65
Collections: Rigel Black Chronicles Appreciation





	Unraveling

**Author's Note:**

> Funny(hopefully) fic with sad undertones.

"Mr.Black, Mr.Black!"

A well dressed man walking down the aisle of beds in the children's ward for chronic illnesses, turned and regarded the speaker with a glare bordering on being overly comical, waggled his eyebrows and index fingers in tandem and said, 

"And what have I told you, Rosie, about calling me that horrible, horrible name?"

The little blond girl ensconced in her bedsheets giggled shyly and said in the voice of a child trying to be secretive, but unable to bring their voices down to anything resembling a whisper.

" You said we should call you Padfoot when Healer Medina isn't around to scold us for saying it!"

"That's right!" His face softened into a smile and he stepped forward, asking, "How are you doing, pup?"

"Healer Medina says my moon system is back to normal. They'll let me off today evening, Padfoot!"

"Your _immune_ system, you mean", Sirius said with a laugh. That was a rather novel way to describe the havoc being a werewolf played on a developing child's immune system every month. Moon system, ha!

"Yes, my moon system", she continued impatiently. "Can we play snap after lunch with Martin and Nelson, Padfoot, pleaaase? Before I go this month I want to get my Rigel Black and Viktor Krum special 'dition cards back, pleaaase?"

Sirius' smile froze on his face as he nodded quickly. The words came without having to think them. He bussed her on the brow of her still-scarless face and straightened.

"Sure, Rosie. You'll have to eat lunch extra fast today then, alright? No dallying!"

"I promise, Padfoot!"

"Rosalind Pinkstone! What have I told you about calling adults nicknames?"

"Oh, let her off, Medina. I really don't mind."

"It's still not proper." The matronly healer insisted.

Sirius just sighed and turned away, his mind still discombobulated. It seemed everywhere he went he was confronted with the evidence of his son's dangerous choice. He made his way to the cafeteria. A cup of strong black tea sounded good right about now.

It was an effort to push down the doubt and worry that rose up everytime he thought of Archie, nowadays.(which was all the time). But hearing about it from others was the _worst_ , especially since Archie didn't want him present at the tasks anymore. Yesterday had been the third task, duelling, according to James. Moody was raving about it in the auror office, apparently. His son had squashed his opponents. Why, he thought, would Archie not want me to see him doing so well?

He said himself that you being there would not let him do his best. In fact, he probably did this well because you weren't there to make him second-guess himself, or whatever, a dark voice whispered in his head. 

He pushed it down.

David Abbott, the newest trainee healer, an eager young thing, waylaid him as he strode towards the cafe.

"Lord Black! Hello!, er, Good morning!, er...good noon!"

As he said, eager. 

The trainee really reminded him of his excitable niece, Nymphadora (what an unfortunate name. Andy really had lost her marbles... not that Blacks were born with many). She would be a full-fledged auror soon.( however did that happen?).

David and Dora would be well-suited, he mused.

He nearly stopped in horrified disgust as he reviewed his train of thought. What, were matchmaking tendencies ingrained into the pureblood psyche? He had to stop, or he'd be dealing with an equally horrified son.

"Hello, to you too, David. I was just going for a cup of tea. Want to join me? I'll pay..."

The trainee's eyes widened.

"O-of course. Sure, I mean, yes!"

They made their way to the counter and sat on the cushioned stools.

Once they both had steaming cups in hand, David said eagerly, "Say, sir, I-I mean, Lord Black, your son, Rigel is a right fierce duelist. I've never seen anyone move that fast! And those gauntlets! He even beat that Antipathy girl, and she had a sword! An honest-to-goodness sword!"

" _What_?"

David paused, mouth half-open, a bubble resting on his upper lip.

"Y-you didn't watch the task?"

"No, Rigel didn't want us to. I only know that he won. What did you say about a sword?"

David eyed his almost desperate countenance, and continued slowly, "Well, Antipathy, the half-blood from Greece, used one. They teach freedueling as part of school in Greece, apparently. She beat the Veela using no magic, can you believe it?"

"And-and Rigel?"

"He won, of course! Did some crazy rune thing, Albert said, and took her sword away from her. T'was bloody easy for him after that! I-I mean, just easy, n-no swearing in the hospital-"

"And then?" Sirius demanded.

"Er, then he fought Krum and Owens, the American muggleborn. The duel with Owens was last, and the best, if I say so myself! Rigel absolutely destroyed him. It was like watching a lion play with a little lamb. But one weird thing, though.."

"What!" barked Sirius.

David seemed to realise he was talking to a very worried father and scooted backwards a little, hugging his cup closer to him.

"J-just that he had to fight four people, your son. The others had three at most. But he still wasn't fatigued much at all! He must be very powerful, your son." He said, eyes shining with awe.

Sirius realised he was looming over the poor trainee, and slowly settled back on his stool.

"Well, yes, he is above average. I hadn't realised he was that good a fighter, though..."

"Well, he is. Did you help train him sir, I mean, L-lord Black?

"A little, during the summer. He must have progressed really quickly after that, though."

David smiled nervously and gulped down the rest of his tea, saying "I've got to get back now, sir. Healer Medina will have my head on a bloody platter otherwise. I-I mean..."

"You better go now, David." He sighed.

The trainee scarpered.

Sirius Black was left, hugging his cup, processing the information he'd received, heart pounding, and prepared himself to play a game of snap with diseased children, who bartered cards with his son's smiling face on them.


End file.
